Hearts player ratings vs Falkirk as first half implosion and VAR controversy play part in shock collapse

A shock first half collapse from Hearts allowed Falkirk to break the Jambos’ unbeaten Premiership record at Tynecastle, winning 5-2 in Gorgie.

Finley Barbrook and Owen Eames put the away side into a two-goal lead before Claudio Braga controversially had a response ruled out by referee Matthew MacDiarmid inside 23 chaotic opening minutes. Jacob Murrell and Liam Henderson capped off a calamitous first half for Hearts who came into the game without a home league defeat in over 18 months. Murrell netted again after the break with Sabri Guendouz and Braga notching Jambo consolations. Falkirk jump into third, pushing Hearts out of that position, and into fourth ahead of the international break.

Banged up and needing a rest, this was one final hurdle for the Jambos to overcome, before a much-needed fortnight off. Stephen Kingsley was the latest added to their already large injury list in Thursday’s loss to Thun during Conference League duties, while fringe duo Pierre Landry Kabore and Yan Dhanda returning to head coach Wouter Vrancken’s XI displayed how thin options were.

They couldn’t feel sorry for themselves though against a Falkirk side who have found their groove again under ex-Hearts gaffer John McGlynn. They won the previous fixture between these pair on their own patch, and doing so again would add further maroon angst over the break, having lost to Hibs at Hampden seven days earlier too. Falkirk meanwhile would begin to harbour dreams of the continent.

Home stars like Braga and Josh McPake were needed to go again but within three-and-a-half minutes they were up against it. Scott Tanser’s whipped ball found Murrell alone inside the Hearts box, Beau Reus making an excellent save, but it was all too easy for Barbrook to bundle home. Vrancken’s team haven’t been dealt an easy hand but there’s little excuse for leaving the opponent’s main striker free in the box with ineffective rebound protection.

Home fans voiced concerns with Falkirk piling forward and those in white were finding joy down the sides early on. Misplaced passes, losing duels and attacking space for the Bairns to play in, a feisty atmosphere inside an arena where Hearts had not lost in the league since April 2025 was brewing. Kabore had a chance to calm nerves and show why he deserves more starts but his shot from close range was saved by Scott Bain in Falkirk’s net.

It was too easy up the other end. Dhanda’s loose shot being picked off from a free-kick routine is one thing but Hearts were instantly left exposed in a two versus one scenario. Brad Spencer was calm with his pass to Eames and he slotted beyond Reus to double Falkirk’s advantage. Braga appeared to have quickly halved the deficit with a coolly-taken finish but MacDiarmid ruled a foul in the build-up on ex-Jambo Lewis Neilson. VAR called him to the monitor, but the referee stuck to his guns, enraging the already-irate home faithful.

He was told to look at a foul but handball against Braga on second inspection proved enough for no goal. It had the feeling of an afternoon where nothing would go right for Hearts, and Falkirk looked comfortable, their third coming soon after the half-hour mark. Murrell was left alone, again, to this time head beyond Reus.

Disbelief had struck Gorgie with a fourth Falkirk goal looking more likely than any home response. An already knackered side now cut a demoralised look and the small band of travelling supporters were giving it ‘ole’ before half-time, such was their control on proceedings. Another for Falkirk was looming and its arrival before half-time sparked a maroon exodus. An excellent curled effort by Bairns defender Liam Henderson found the left-hand corner.

Some fancied Falkirk for this one but nobody could have predicted this sort of capitulation by Hearts, regardless of the injury situation. Seven had been shipped away to Celtic recently but four against with none in reply against a side they are regularly favourites against is an entirely different situation. Murrell found goal five two minutes after the restart as Guendouz brought faint celebrations by putting one on the board for Hearts. Malachi Fagan-Walcott was added to the casualty list through a muscle injury soon after. When it rains, it pours as per the the old adage, and that continues to be tested fully around Gorgie.

Guendouz was fouled in the box late on to award Braga a chance to score from the spot, and he did so expertly. Not that it mattered to the outcome on a day of Tynecastle shock. Here’s how we rated the Hearts players.